Brazil's Upside-down Cup: Bad Soccer, Well Planned

WochitJul. 14, 2014. 07:50 AM EST

For Brazil, it was the upside-down World Cup. Brazilians lost at what they were certain they woul...
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For Brazil, it was the upside-down World Cup. Brazilians lost at what they were certain they would win — soccer — and won where so many expected failure — organization. For years, the country's government has endured grueling criticism from FIFA over severely delayed stadiums. Leaders rode out a wave of protests last year over billions spent on the tournament despite poor public services. Foreign tabloids warned fans of man-eating snakes and violence, while domestic newspapers grilled officials over every imaginable aspect of Cup preparations. Many serious doubts remain: about corruption related to World Cup works; whether the country will see economic benefits from hosting the games; and whether dozens of infrastructure projects promised as the biggest legacy of the event will ever be completed. But there is no question that the goal of giving the world a smoothly run, exuberant sporting spectacle surpassed all expectations.
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